Raebert’s right this time. The smartest given that he’s not the smartest.

Actually, he’s among the most tiresome. Like Hotair’s AllahPundit, who addresses theology — and Dawkins — with a ten-point rating we’re supposed to take seriously.

Seriously, though, he’s making a banal point here — banal enough that I’ve made it myself repeatedly when arguing with readers in our comment threads. Having one of the world’s most prominent atheists admit he’s not totally sure is catnip for believers, but all he’s doing is being a conscientious skeptic. Every atheist is technically an agnostic; the distinction in the labels is largely the degree of confidence with which one’s concluded that there’s no God. Since there’s no way to conclusively prove that God doesn’t exist, no one can correctly claim absolute confidence. That’s all Dawkins is getting at, per his point that he’s a 6.9 on his own seven-point scale of doubt. I’d guesstimate that most people between, say, four and six call themselves “agnostic” while anyone beyond six self-identifies as “atheist.” Point is, you can never quite get to seven, just as virtually any conscientious believer will admit that they’re not quite at one. Which of course is why they’re called “believers,” not “knowers.”

Do these fools have any idea how dopey they sound to people who look at the universe and think it didn’t just think itself up from, uh, nothing? There was never any intelligence involved in the billion year history of the universe until Dick went to Oxford and Allahpundit went to, uh, (where?), er, NYU?

Love the idea that really really smart people have recently ordained themselves smart enough to perceive that everything just somehow happened and so they’re now in charge, being the ones who just figured that out.

Cool.

My own image of Dawkins.

The flouncing one in the foreground. “I have it on good authority there’s no such thing as a cat.”

Not afraid, you see, what with being superior to all possible situations. And very very pretty to boot.

I’m the smartest thing ever. Can’t you see it? Look at me. I’ve also written many books.

Yeah. Just look at him. I am SO impressed. He’s never debated any serious theologian. Because he’s so much smarter than they are.

[Sneeze]

Sorry, Dick. Even after you, the universe will proceed in its meaningful way. Just. Without. You.

If your name is Dawkins, you might want to consider the virtues and beliefs of people named Bach and Mozart. Maybe you’re not smarter than absolutely everybody.

Just saying.